


Stumblin' til I met you

by Innocentfighter



Series: Two Halves to a Whole [1]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Green Lantern (Comics), Green Lantern - All Media Types, The Flash (Comics), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Character, Doesn't get addressed, Emotional Hurt, Family Drama, First Meetings, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Illnesses, Jewish Character, Jewish Hal Jordan, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Modified Werewolf AU, No Powers Yet, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pack Dynamics, Part of a series for a reason, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Shifter AU, Werewolves Turn Into Actual Wolves, mentions of drinking, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 05:06:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16361390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: Barry is new in Coast City. Hal is the resident outcast. They meet like one would expect.





	Stumblin' til I met you

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! I'm coming at you with a new series, sort of. It's set in the same universe as my Batfamily one, but for the sake of keeping them separated for reader bases, they're their own series. Because really they're completely different so far as how I want them to develop.  
> I don't think you'll learn anything different in world building than each other, I'm trying to keep that consistent, but you know how that goes.  
> Otherwise, you know the drill, enjoy!

Barry recoiled at the sounds and smells that assaulted his senses once the door to the bar opened. His mentor, Ashley grinned.

“Welcome to Coast City’s cheapest bar!”

She dragged him to a table against the far wall. A group of people was already standing around it. Barry only knew a few of them by sight. He smiled nervously at them.

“Everyone, this is Barry Allen, our new intern!” Ashley yelled over the chatter, she was endlessly peppy.

Barry waved, “hello, it’s an honor to work with you all.”

One man stuck out his hand, “Jack Jordan.”

There was a dark Pack mark on his forearm, Barry stared for a second before gripping the hand.

“I’m an aide to the mayor, so we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

That was…odd, “why?”

Jack raised an eyebrow but Ashley cut him off, “Barry’s from Central City.”

“I see, well, he’ll get the swing of things. He seems like a bright kid,” Jack said a little too seriously, “I’ll go buy another round.”

“He’s intense,” Barry said after a moment and once he was sure Jack was out of earshot.

“It’s politics,” Ashley waved her hand, “they usually let us do our thing, but the mayor and the police chief are very good friends.”

Barry nodded, he’s pretty sure since he’s an intern no one is going to target him.

“But be careful with Jack,” another man spoke up, “he’s a Jordan and they have their own influence.”

Ashley snorted, “unless it’s Hal.”

The table burst out into laughter.

Barry blinked, “what?”

The same man answered, “the Jordan and Ferris families are the two most influential packs in Coast City. Ferris owns Ferris Air of course, and the Jordans are very close to them, they practically founded the city together. Then when Martin Jordan died and Mrs. Jordan didn’t sue Ferris, it saved the down.”

Barry frowned this wasn’t anything like Central, “I don’t-”

“Long story short, Jack, Jim, and Hal Jordan all have influence. Hal’s the second son, and he was disowned from the Pack.”

Jack returned with drinks, “what are we talking about so seriously?”

“Just catching Barry up on town gossip.”

Barry gave a weak smile. Jack passed out the drinks. He had heard stories of Packs disowning pups, but he had never thought that he’d have to associate with people of those Packs. He wanted to ask more about the story, but he had a feeling that he shouldn’t mention Hal around Jack.

!

It was only two hours before Barry made his apologies and left. Ashley and her friends weren’t his typical crowd. They jeered at him for being an old man and not getting completely smashed. He mostly ignored them because they were drunk. This internship was shaping up to be a long summer if he couldn’t find anyone to hang out with after work, to simulate a Pack.

There was a soft grunt from the alleyway. Barry turned towards it. A man was leaning against the wall. He looked up, and for a second Barry was frozen. Then he realized that the man was bleeding.

“Mind helping me out?” The man smirked.

“Uh,” Barry stammered.

The smirk turned into a grin and Barry was momentarily distracted, “I promise that I didn’t do anything illegal.”

Barry frowned, if you have to say it then I don’t know that I can believe you.”

“Listen, I’m an air force officer,” the man flashed his jacket to prove his statement, “so breaking the law isn’t on my to-do list.”

Barry stared at the name Jordan. _Weird._

“Sure,” Barry said dumbly and stepped forward.

The man shoved off from the wall. In the low light, Barry could make out the faintest traces of a black eye and a split lip. There was some bruising around his nose. Barry inched closer, the scent of blood hit his nose along with a trace of ozone, but there was no underlying sweet scent of Pack instead there was the spicy scent of illness.

“Where’s the nearest hospital?” Barry asked.

“No hospital,” the man growled.

“Then where?” Barry frowned, “you might have a concussion so I don’t think you should be left alone in case something goes wrong.”

The man shrugs, “don’t care as long as it isn’t the base or a hospital.”

Barry sighed, “my apartment then. Just promise not to die on the couch.”

“Fine,” the man chuckled, “I’m Hal, by the way.”

“Barry.”

It was incredibly strange, Barry thought. That he had been talking about Hal earlier in the night. Despite the obvious markers of a fight, Hal didn’t seem to be the rebel that the story implied. The lack of Pack scent was also disturbing, it usually took years for a Pack scent to fade and Hal didn’t look older than twenty, and that was a generous estimate.

“Are you okay?” Hal mumbled.

“Yeah,” Barry startled at the sound of his voice, “just, uh, getting my bearings. I’m new in town.”

“Midwest, yeah?” Hal asked, “Illinois?”

“I’m from Central City, how did you know?” Barry pursed his lips and began walking.

Thankfully no one seemed to be taking a late night walk.

Hal half-shrugged, “accent.”

“I see,” Barry replied, he hadn’t thought that he had a noticeable one.

* * *

Hal woke up with a scent that was completely unfamiliar surrounding him, which wasn’t overly unusual, but usually, he remembered hooking up with someone. He sniffed attempting to jog his memory, the scent was sweet and mostly covered by the smell of brewing coffee. After another cautious sniff, he determined that there was no threat and that he hadn’t had sex with this person.

After a second of listening, he realized that whoever owned the apartment was cooking breakfast.

“Oh good, you didn’t die or slip into a coma on my couch,” a voice came from behind him.

Hal turned to face it. This man was clearly the owner of the scent and was a too attractive blond male. Briefly, he was disappointed that they hadn’t had sex (the relief was more overwhelming and Hal tried to not think too much on that). The name suddenly fell into his head.

“Barry.”

“That’s me,” the man smiled, “how’s your head?”

“Fine,” Hal answered, it hurt but not terribly. Most of his pain was in his face.

“That’s good,” Barry raised an eyebrow, “I made breakfast if you’re hungry.”

Hal’s stomach growled, “what did you make?”

Barry glanced back at the kitchen as if he forgot what he made, “french toast, and leftover hamburger.”

It was a little bit of a relief that he wouldn’t have to turn down his host’s offer of food, “no pork?”

“No?”

“Great, I’m starving.”

Barry followed behind him. Hal took this opportunity to get more familiar with Barry’s scent. He must have been laying on something that belonged to Barry’s Pack because the sweet note had faded into the background of the actual scent, which mostly smelled like earth after it rained. Hal felt a pang of jealousy that Barry still had his Family Pack, despite appearing to be a few years older. He’s used to the ache of being packless, but he was too social for that kind of life.

The kitchen, once he entered, was controlled chaos. Utensils were piled in the sink, flour and eggs stained the countertop. It makes Hal wrinkle his nose and he fought down the urge to start cleaning. Just past the kitchen was a small communal dining area, and the table was already set with piles of French toast and hamburger in the middle. Hal grins in excitement, but it falls quickly when he thinks about how this would be something his dad would make.

Barry’s scent turns curious and Hal blanks his face. It doesn’t make the scent change go away but Hal doesn’t want to risk anything with an alert audience. He saw Barry’s mouth turn down, but no questions were asked.

Small mercies.

“Well, it doesn’t smell terrible.”

“Glad you approve,” Barry said dryly.

Hal grins honestly this time, “anyways thanks for this. You didn’t have to.”

“Well, what else would I do with you?” Barry started to fill his place, “kick you out?”

_That’s why my brother did._ “I mean, you could have.”

Barry shook his head, “I kind of feel responsible, I mean you did ask me for help. You aren’t hurt badly.”

Hal picked up a piece of toast, _but you’re hurt,_ went unsaid. He could be projecting though, so he ignored that thought. There’s no reason a stranger would care more than his family.

“You know, they say feeding people makes them come back.”

“That’s for cats,” Barry snorted.

“Eh, same difference,” Hal shrugged.

“Although,” Barry spoke slowly, and his scent changed into something that Hal could only mark as nerves, “I wouldn’t stop you if you kept coming around.”

Hal tilted his head, there’s _nothing_ Barry could gain from him hanging out. He could, _would,_ lose his reputation. There’s been no spike of arousal from Barry, so that wasn’t the case either. It’s been a long time since Hal’s had a civilian friend or a friend in general. It was a nice thought. A _very_ nice thought.

“Why?”

Barry furrowed his brow, “I don’t know, honestly. I don’t know anyone in town, and you seem like you need someone to drag out of alleys.”

“You want to be my knight in shining armor?” Hal laughs.

“No, I want to be your friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed if you did leave your thoughts below! If you didn't, then also tell me but be nice!


End file.
